San Diego Will Be a Lot Less Flashy in 2016

The San Diego Flash Soccer Club will not be taking the field in the National Premier Soccer League for the 2016 season. In recent weeks, word of a total rebrand has been floated and soccer supporting citizens of San Diego have been eagerly anticipating the announcement of Warren Barton’s new-look team. However, in a surprising turn of events, the organization formerly known as the Flash have pulled out of the NPSL altogether. NPSL Chairman Joe Barone confirmed today that the Flash’s status with regard to the league is “inactive” and that San Diego represents a “complicated situation when it comes to the Flash.”

This news comes on the heels of the news that former San Diego Padres owner John Moores is exploring the possibility of bringing MLS to San Diego. Whether Warren Barton, who is alleged to have partnered with none other than ex-USMNT star Landon Donovan, has been in contact with Moores or any other potential investors with an eye toward building a team to compete in a higher league than NPSL remains to be clarified.

SoccerNation.com’s Alicia Rodriguez recently analyzed comments from MLS Commissioner Don Garber relating to the potential of San Diego as an MLS expansion city. These comments from Commissioner Garber, coupled with MLS’ recent approval of expanding the league to 28 teams have San Diegans salivating at the potential for higher level soccer coming to the city.

Regardless what happens next in this saga, 2016 is shaping up to interesting with new NPSL expansion teams Albion Pros SC and NC Battalion taking the field.